Today, March 8, 2019, is International Women’s Day. The global holiday was created to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This year’s theme, #BalanceForBetter, focuses on accelerating a gender-balanced workforce to enhance businesses and the world.

In the insurance industry, women are becoming more prevalent in all roles. They not only balance, but thrive, at all industry levels. In fact, women make up over 60 percent of the insurance workforce. Additionally, 19 percent of board seats and 12 percent of top officer positions are occupied by women, and 35 percent of independent agencies are led by a female agency principal.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked some of our female leaders and employees how the insurance industry is already embracing #BalanceForBetter, and what being a woman working in insurance means to them. Check out their responses below.

Angela McBride, Chief Administrative Officer
“I am proud to work in an industry that is making strides toward gender equality. At Amerisure, we have a strong representation of women throughout the organization and at all levels of leadership. We are also seeing a large increase in the number of female leaders and producers within our partner agencies, and are insuring more female-led businesses than ever before. These incredibly talented women drive success and deliver exceptional results!”

Yee Leong-Mok, Manager, Underwriting Systems

“I joined the insurance industry as a young underwriting trainee almost 30 years ago during a time when the industry was known to be more of a male-dominant industry. There were challenges to overcome then in order to prove that you were intellectually on par. We now have a broad representation of women from different backgrounds who hold significant roles. This is a testament that the industry has become more inclusive over the years, and above all else, recognizes talent to fill significant roles. I am very fortunate to be able to witness this change in the industry.”

Laurie Pierman, Vice President, Claims Operations
“I am proud to work in an industry that has an excellent representation of women at all levels of leadership. There are many aspects of insurance that require empathy, attention to detail and emotional intelligence. I see female leaders display these traits on a regular basis. I enjoy being an example to younger women entering the industry that hard work and willingness to try new things can lead to professional success and recognition. I have been lucky to have had several mentors in my career, both male and female, that have recognized my potential and gave me opportunities to try things I had only dreamed of. The opportunities that have been offered to me have shaped me as a leader. I enjoy being able to “pay it forward” with other women who are moving into leadership roles.”

Maura Rivard-Hoster, Marketing Underwriter Associate“As I’ve become acclimated to Amerisure, and the industry in general, I’m quickly realizing that women serve in essential roles in every facet of the business. As a young woman in the industry, I’m charged with the task of learning from those phenomenal women and growing to be a teacher myself. I work with numerous female producers, account managers and internal partners who have imparted wisdom in a myriad of ways. As I continue to learn and grow, I’m able to utilize these perspectives, which give me courage to leap outside of my comfort zone. As I grow from these experiences, I hope I am able to share, so that a woman following in my footsteps may grow with me.”

Research has shown that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 21 percent more likely to outperform on profitability, and 27 percent more likely to demonstrate superior value creation. Amerisure’s board of directors, senior leaders and the leadership pipeline demonstrate good gender diversity. Female leaders are represented in all facets of Amerisure’s operations and corporate functions. Our leaders, both men and women, foster talent across the company to help us transform the insurance experience for our partners.

Amerisure is proud to support its female employees, Partners For Success® agents and policyholders. These women are instrumental in creating powerful partnerships between Amerisure, its agency customers and policyholders, to achieve mutual success.